New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-10
ART NEWS AND COMMENTS.
THE WEEK IN ART CIRCLES.
MOTIFS on RECENT scULPrURE-sALEs AT THE


of ghths in the usual number OF works AID 1t
was expected that there would be a corresponding
reduction In the amount of sales But on tine contrary
the financial success of the exhibition mas Ieen Us
marked as the general appreciation OF us exceens
quality Every Jne knows that among the variety Oh
reasons actuatng those who ordinarily buy pictures
at public exhibitions intrinsic merit Is By no means
apt to be either first or second, ana SINGS sne
Academy exhibition is less popular and INSECT
laneous than usual the remarkable amount OF the
sales SEC, 900 In the first week, means change In
the class of buyers. THE TRIBUNE has frequently
pointed out that amateurs as distinguished from IN
cidental picture buyers, have been repened ra'ner
than attracted by the exhibitions hela az tho
Academy for several year.. This year they nave
found q collection averaging we'll, and free from
many of the absurdites which at other times have
been conspicuous. The result ia that the exhioiton
has made favorable impression upon the very class
whom it is most important for American artists 70
reach. New-York and Canadian and other collectors
have found this exhibition worth their attention. ana
the reform policy" is receiving substantial enco"r-
agement.
The MAY opening of the Metropolitan Museum
will be an event of Importance, although
the Wolfe collection cannot DO placed upon
exhibition then in addition to Mr. vander
bilts gilt. "The Horse Fair, ana MT. oehey
ten pictures The museum has been greatly IN
need of representative examples OF modern art, ana
it is safe to say that the noble gifts OF the last lori
night will give an impulse which will have other re-
suits The paintings collected by the late MISS W one
have not been by the public as frequently as the
pictures of some other collectors and their exhie ton
will DO awaited with interest. Five or Blk OF
Mr. Seneys pictures are now at the Museum includ-
ing LIE ROLES q The Organ" The oaks IN
Autumn" by George lnness is one OF his hnest pct
ures Tic :. Evening" by G. II. Davis, was shown
at the recsnt exhibit on in Richards gallery In
addition to the merit OF the Wolfe collection ana the
preemnent value OF /" Tie Horse Far i9r museum,
t ia encouraging to know that the Metropolitan
Museum now cOntaias the nucleus of representative
col ect0ns OF American paintings. The surplus ln-
come from the Wolfe endowment tund may ee USED
for the purchase of pictures @either by native or
foreign artists" The annual purchase OF few OF the
best American pictures OF tie year tor the Museum
will stimulate artists, ana presently result III ah "oo
quate gallery OF American art
The landsoaps studies of the late Asher b. Durand
which are OF nib ted at Ortgiess Gallery are accom-
panied by portraits and some of his most Important
landscapes which nave been lent by their owners.
There are also some Of Durands own engrayings In
Gliding tne Musidora" and Aradne and others,
esn,ciay examples of the best English school oil line
engraving which the artist had collected At present
il only possible call attention to tins interesting
cxhi0 ton.
Tn, presence of some interesting examples OF scupt
ure is not the least satisfactory feature OF the
Academy exhibition. For the past few years Mr..
Nrne has contributed busts with considerable regu
larity which have exempifed the thoroughly
sculpturesque quality, strong Characterization ana
perso AL force of his work, and there has now ana
hen
consideration The supply of good sculpture outside
the exhibitions is small enough, and men like st.
Gaudeus whose work would have been welcomed,
have tailed to contribute. This year there are TWO
busts by Mr. Warner. portrait in the south gal
,ery individual in character yet showns the tendency
IN alize TYNE here Intellectual. which appears IN
much of the artists soul lture. The other bust more
fortunately placed against the wall III the west
gallery might be compared with the artists pust OF
Cotier its wildly animate character ana richness
-. ahn.
ont passing the limits OF plastic art. MI Cushing
cold Hynatii suffers severely by tue enforced COM
pariscn with Mr.. Warmers vigorous little DuSt "h,cn
has the ch lrm OF art aud not merely truth OF IKE
nes. In the south gallery again Is Mr: hartiey
!" Youthful Pair" child dandling rabbit on Its
knees piece of genre work OF not very high class
crbcr In conception or execution, Meyer Won
Bremen, rather than Mi.let but not de'oin Oh
sympathy with child lite. although the unhappy RABBIT
anpeals to tue sympathies OF the observer VT
Cushings May " Ia the west gallery is Que OF the
examples of inpersonoi conyentionalism whicb nave
been common enough here since the Gays OF rSwers
and like his work. are usually que 10 the uioi tunato
influences OF modern Italy.
There ia mu.h more individual force and stronger
workmanship in the statues of Messrs Elwell and
Donoghue two Of the moro recent products OF Beaux
Art, training Mr. Elwell has not repeated the con-
yentional, ideazed figure which has passed Tor
- The Magdalen,' but he has chosen an Oriental
tvpe and his treatment is to considerable extent
characterized By realism. The general movement OF
rho figure stepping downward is well expressed, ana
looking at the statue from It's rght SIDE the planes
arc largely arranged, well balanced and satisfying
On the other side, however, the foreshortening
underneath the drapery does not impress Itself upon
the observer as truthful. After all allowances are
made the lett knee proves disturbing But the Inquire
has dignity even though its special interest and its
sentiment not strongly felt Its action 10 largely
rendered and ito general treatment appropriate Mr.
Donoghue's Young Sophocles leading the Chorus OF
Victory after salamis" requires a paragraph Of ex
panaton and explanatory text upon the plinth, all
OF which detracts from the directness ana sghhctnce
nj any work OF art 1t would be saie to assume that
thosc u no ace this statue know that Soptoces
Greek tragic poet but il would not be safe to assn ne
knowledge OF the sixteenyear-oid sophoeies ieaoihs
with dance and Tyre the chorus OF youths chanting the
nran of patriotic triumph. The Sophocles OF the
Lst.ran Gallery is q characteristic figure Here Mr..
Donoghuo has perpetuated picturesque episode III
monument al form. All that can be said about tie
signcance the choice OF Sophocles on that occasion
and its Importance may be granted and yet remalDs
an episode. The Sophoclcs at Rome shows the poet
and that il what the name means TO every one VINO
Lears it, Ii il something OF shock therefore to en-
oouner this figure exceeding in itself the rheto rical
hourishing, and license OF LIr,Pldes, Th enc one
the Pericean poet 1t is hardly necessary to say that
the artist ha, imp eriecty carried out his conception
of the young Sophocles but it would be unfortunate
for hs failure to disguise his real spirit technical ac
complishments and promise The evident weakness
of his work Is the failing OF inability to render
action without resorlng II violence or nervous agta-
tion This figure conveys at once feeling OF tension,
uneasness and constraint. The body awkwardly
posed with tho feet 80 tar apart yet the ight so HUE
ADVANCED seems strained upward. as II on uptoes an
effect emphasized by the indications OF muscular
action. Looked at on it's right the figure shows no
movement forward. and very little on its lett The
plane. of the body are monotonous. In front there
i little of the relief balancing aud opposition which
would have redeemed trunk and limbs from their
present monotony, The head is admirable. nobly ex-
and nobIy poised but the cleany cut features
are not those of boy sixteen years old The gesture
OF the right arm with its sharp angles and tired wrist
droop Is awkward and nerveless and Increases the
feel no of strain. One thinks OF a wearied model and
the sculptor perpetuatng the tired droop OF his arm
ain the sghtness Of the Tyres support increases the
figures uneasnsss: The artist is to be credited with
of yoeiferaton and q ll-mOde led torso Dit not
with beauty largeness and truth Of action nor with
apprehension OF the essential Importance OF dignity,
simplicity and repose in monumental sculpture. All
that can be said of his work Is to praise passages
of workmanship and to note an ambition and degree
of personal force of which much would certainly be
predicted were il not that similar promise has more
Than once resulted in disappointment within the last